Month: October 2013

Compact cameras buying guide (Autumn 2013)

If you’re looking for a compact digital camera, you have a lot of choices. Although the past couple of years has seen a serious erosion of the entry-level, sub-$ 100 class thanks to the emergence of powerful smartphones, improvements in technology have meant that if you’ve got a couple of hundred dollars or more to spend, you can get yourself a very capable camera. In this guide, we examine the major classes of compact cameras, and discuss their relative strengths in order to help you make an informed buying decision. Click through for a link.

News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

October 10, 2013
Blickfang: WC im OG

Frank Kunerts Fotografien kleiner Welten haben wir Euch bereits im letzten Jahr präsentiert. Aus seinem ganz neuen Bildband namens „Wunderland“* möchte ich Euch nun mein Lieblingsbild genauer vorstellen.

Im Bild „WC im OG“ findet sich fast jede Facette von Kunerts Arbeiten wieder, die sie so besonders machen. Etwa seine Beobachtungsgabe für eigentümliche und typische Details, die Hand in Hand mit seinen erstaunlichen und fantasievollen Fähigkeiten des realistischen Modellbaus geht.

Graubrauner Putz, der hier und dort schon abgeplatzt ist und notdürftig repariert wurde. Der in vielen öffentlichen Gebäuden typische Wandanstrich mit einer dunkleren Farbe bis auf halbe Höhe. Ein unscheinbar neben dem Durchgang angebrachter, bereits überlaufender Mülleimer. Von Metallgriffen abblätternde Farbschichten.

Diese Details machen die sonst eher sterile Szene realistisch und tricksen unser Gehirn und seine normalen Wahrnehmungsschemata aus. Evolutionsbedingt sind wir darauf trainiert, nach dem ersten Blick schon eine Einschätzung des Gesehenen abzugeben. Bei Kunerts Arbeiten heißt das erst einmal: Foto einer tatsächlichen Szene.

Auf diese Wahrnehmung folgt – nicht nur bei „WC im OG“ – der Schreck: Was, das gibt es wirklich? Toiletten, die nur über Klettersprossen über Kopf erreichbar sind? Inklusive einer Rampe für Rollstuhlfahrer, die ganz ordentlich bis an die Sprossen heranführt und zusätzlichen, großen Haltegriffen rechts und links der Tür.

Durch diese makabere Übertreibung im Modell werden Parallelen zu tatsächlichen Beschwerlichkeiten deutlich, denen wir im Alltag begegnen. So ganz in unseren Trott versunken, nehmen wir sie aber allzu oft als gegeben hin, leben mit ihnen und um sie herum, ohne ihre unsinnige, eigentlich lebenserschwerende Existenz noch wahrzunehmen.

Spätestens, wenn tatsächlich betroffene Mitmenschen dann einen Schwank von ähnlich absurden, unüberwindbaren, aber real existierenden Arrangements zum Besten geben, wird klar, dass Kunerts Arbeiten nur oberflächlich lustig sind. Darunter liegt eine Ebene ernster Gesellschaftskritik.

In diesem Bildband sind 24 neue Arbeiten zusammengefasst, die auf die eine oder andere Weise um die Ecke gedacht sind, einen doppelten Boden haben, mit Redewendungen oder Formulierungen spielen. Dazu gibt es ein langes und lesenswertes Vorwort, bebildert mit Fotos, die Frank Kunert bei der Arbeit an seinen Modellen im Studio zeigen.

Auch der Titel „Wunderland“ spielt wieder mit den Erwartungen des Betrachters und Lesers. Klingt das nicht nach Schlaraffenland, Paradies, sorgenfreiem Leben? Hier ist es ein Land, in dem man sich über so einiges wundert. Dieses und viele andere Wortspiele zwischen Titel und Bild laden hier ein, Szenen aus immer neuen Winkeln zu betrachten und Gewohntes in Frage zu stellen.

~

Informationen zum Band

Gebundene Ausgabe, 72 Seiten, 24 Farbabbildungen, 6 Schwarzweißfotos. Essay von Elizabeth Clarke auf Deutsch und Englisch. Erschienen im Herbst 2013 im Verlag Hatje Cantz. Preis: 16,80 €. Größe: 22,4 x 22,4 x 1,2 cm.

* Das ist ein Affiliate-Link zu Amazon. Wenn Ihr darüber etwas bestellt, erhalten wir eine kleine Provision, Ihr zahlt aber keinen Cent mehr.

kwerfeldein – Fotografie Magazin

October 10, 2013
Samsung unveils new curved smartphone, the ‘Galaxy Round’

After months of teasing and speculation, Samsung has finally announced its curved smartphone. The Galaxy Round is a 5.7-inch device with a curved 1080p, AMOLED display. Like its Galaxy S4 and Not 3 predecessors, the Galaxy Round features a 13-megapixel camera. The Galaxy Round’s unique shape allows for a different user experience. According to Samsung, the phone is more comfortable to hold than flat phones and users can take advantage of some features unique to the curved device. Click through for more details at connect.dpreview.com

News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

October 9, 2013
The City is a Playground: 15 Interactive Installations

[ By Steph in Art & Installation & Sound. ]

Art installations that invite or even dare passersby to join in on a fun activity transform even the most stiff and boring urban environments into public playgrounds. Musical swings on the sidewalks of Montreal, a giant red ear in South Korea, a massive Monopoly game in Chicago and a submarine erupting from the middle of Milan are among the cool interactive projects that bring out the kid in all of us.

Massive Submarine in the Middle of Milan

Pedestrians in Milan were puzzled to see what looked like a massive deep-sea voyager bursting from the pavement in the middle of Piazza Mercanit. A Smart Car appears to have been caught up in the eruption, barely escaping. Of course, it’s an art installation – actually, a marketing stunt for an insurance group’s ‘Protect Your Life’ campaign. A ‘scuba diver’ at the scene told onlookers about the importance of insurance in safeguarding your possessions – probably a little less exciting than what they were hoping to hear.

Escape Machine

Where do you want to escape to? Press the red button on this strange black cube in the middle of a French public square, tell it your desired destination and something really, really unexpected will happen.

Urban Shopping Cart Merry-Go-Round

In the middle of a municipal theater square in Portugal, a merry-go-round of shopping carts beckons kids and adults alike to interact. It’s a parasitic addition to a lamp post, made to attach to any such structure in a public place. “By counteracting the freedom of movement that normally characterizes these carts (ironically moving in circles) we are reminded that consumerism does not take us anywhere… or in the best case scenario to the starting point.”

Whisper a Message to ‘The Big Ear’

Called ‘Yobosayo,’ the Korean word used when calling to get someone’s attention, this interactive sculpture records voice messages from passersby and shares them with others. You speak into the big red ear, and people inside the adjacent Seoul Citizens Hall listen. It’s even more interactive than that, in fact; sensors on the hanging speaker units monitor how much time people spend listening to each message, so the ones people pay attention to remain in the playlist, while the unpopular ones are transformed into music by an algorithm that amplifies and distorts the sound.

Knitting the Andy Warhol Bridge

A project called Knit the Bridge brought 1,800 volunteers onto the Andy Warhol Bridge in Pittsburgh to cover the sides, towers and main cables in rectangular panels individually knitted by each artist. It’s a fitting tribute to the only bridge in the United States to be named for an artist.

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The City Is A Playground 15 Interactive Installations

[ By Steph in Art & Installation & Sound. ]

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WebUrbanist

October 9, 2013
23 Beautiful Dawn Images

Dawn is such a wonderful time to photograph life. Sun breaking the horizon, dew on grass, mist hovering over landscapes… of course, that’s only if you’re awake to see it.

Here’s some shots taken at dawn to give you a little inspiration to set that alarm clock one day this week and head out with your camera before day break. Looking for some tips on how to do it? Check out our 12 Tips for Photographing Stunning Sunsets and Sunrises.

PS: want to know more about a photo in this series? Click it to be taken to the photographers flickr page to see more of their work.

Post originally from: Digital Photography Tips.

Check out our more Photography Tips at Photography Tips for Beginners, Portrait Photography Tips and Wedding Photography Tips.

23 Beautiful Dawn Images

The post 23 Beautiful Dawn Images by Darren Rowse appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School

October 9, 2013
Ironic Typography Posters That Show the True Photographer’s Life

There is a chance you’ve seen a few posters with quotes about photographers on Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr or other social-media platforms before. I’m talking about quotes like “Owning a camera does not make you a photographer” or others like “Life is like photography–we develop it from the negatives,” which all the photographers tend to share. Today, I’d like to bring Continue Reading

The post Ironic Typography Posters That Show the True Photographer’s Life appeared first on Photodoto.

Photodoto

October 9, 2013
The Surreal Landscape: Long Exposure Photography
It seems to me that we live in a world orientated to a digital generation demanding instant gratification. This extends to photography, encouraged by the prevalence of camera phones and Instagram type apps. How many photographers, when they come across a beautiful scene, just stop and snap a photo with a camera phone and then move on?

Long exposure photography is different. It demands patience, an appreciation of beautiful light and a deep understanding of composition. It is as much about the mind-set of the photographer as it is about the subject. It’s not brash or flashy – you rarely see long exposure photographers use techniques such as high dynamic range (HDR) photography or adding texture layers.

What is long exposure photography? There is no precise definition. I think of it as involving shutter speeds of ten seconds or longer, but I’m sure some photographers will be thinking in terms of shutter speeds of a minute or more. But the aim is the same – to create beautiful and surreal images by leaving the shutter open long enough to record anything that moves within the landscape, such as water, as a blur.

That’s why most long exposure photography tends to take place along the coast. The sea creates an interesting subject, helped by natural features such as rocks and islands, and man-made ones like piers and jetties.

Painting with light is also a form of long exposure photography.

Contemplation and the landscape

You may be wondering what one does while waiting for the camera to take a photo when the shutter speed is longer than a minute.

The answer is that long exposure photography is a naturally contemplative pastime. While waiting, take some time to enjoy the beautiful location you are in. Breathe and enjoy the smell of the air. Listen to the sounds. Watch the light as it fades away. This meditative approach will help you notice things an instant gratification seeker will miss.

Getting started

Interested? How then, do you get started? One of the nice things about long exposure photography is that the basic requirements are not extensive:
- A camera that lets you take control of the exposure settings and has a Bulb setting so that you can use shutter speeds longer than 30 seconds.
- A tripod and a good ball-and-socket head. Beware of inexpensive models – they may be too flimsy to support your camera properly during long exposures. A good aluminium or carbon-fibre tripod is required.
- A cable release or remote release so that you can activate the shutter without touching the camera.
Filters

A polarising filter is useful for eliminating reflections from shiny surfaces, such as a concrete jetty made wet by sea water. It also blocks between one and two stops of light, helping you obtain longer shutter speeds.

Some photographers use neutral density (ND) filters, but they are not essential. You can get started without them by turning up late in the day and taking photos as the sun sets. During twilight you can obtain shutter speeds of thirty seconds or later by setting a low ISO and a narrow aperture.

The benefit of neutral density filters is that they extend the period of time during which you can use long exposures. They come in various strengths; three, four, nine and ten stop ND filters are the most common. Nine and ten stop ND filters are designed to enable long exposure photography during the middle of the day – you won’t need them if you are shooting at dusk.

Learn more about neutral density filters.

Noise reduction

Shoot in Raw and turn off the long exposure noise reduction setting. The software you use to process your Raw files will take care of noise reduction for you.

Resources

Here are some more resources that will help:

BW Vision

Slices of Silence

Interviews with long exposure photographers

Long Exposure Photography: 15 Stunning Examples

Eight Tips for Long Exposure Photography

Photo Tutorial – Long Exposure Photography

Final thoughts

That’s a lot to take in, so don’t forget the most important thing of all – to go out and take some photos. It takes a while to get the hang of long exposure photography, so don’t be discouraged if your first attempts aren’t as polished as you would like. It takes time to master the techniques and develop the eye for graphical composition required for successful long exposure photography.

Mastering Photography

My ebook Mastering Photography: A Beginner’s Guide to Using Digital Cameras introduces you to photography and helps you make the most out of your digital cameras. It covers concepts such as lighting and composition as well as the camera settings you need to master long exposure photography and take photos like the ones in this article.

Post originally from: Digital Photography Tips.

Check out our more Photography Tips at Photography Tips for Beginners, Portrait Photography Tips and Wedding Photography Tips.

The Surreal Landscape: Long Exposure Photography

The post The Surreal Landscape: Long Exposure Photography by Andrew Gibson appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School
October 9, 2013
Es ist nur schwer zu erkennen

Ein Beitrag von: Kramer O’Neill

Ich bin damit aufgewachsen, zu fotografieren, aber in der Pubertät kümmerte ich mich viel zu sehr um alles Technische und darum, alles „perfekt“ zu machen. Nach einer Zeit wurde das sehr anstrengend und so gab ich die Fotografie für komplette zehn Jahre ganz auf.

Als ich wieder einstieg, wurde mir klar, dass ich die Fotografie auf einmal aus ganz neuen Gründen mochte: Kinematografie, Amateur-Psychologie und lange Spaziergänge, die ich immer genoss – auch ohne zu fotografieren.

Die Fotografie wurde so zum Auslöser für neue Entdeckungen und gab scheinbar bedeutungslosen Ausflügen Sinn. Und das ist bis heute noch der größte Wert für mich: Sie hilft mir, zu forschen und weil sie mich dazu zwingt, ein Beobachter zu sein, macht sie meine Introvertiertheit zu einer Stärke.

Ich arbeite grundsätzlich immer an meiner Fotografie, indem ich stetig nach unentdeckten Zusammenhängen Ausschau halte: Indem ich neue Orte, Menschen, Licht und Objekte suche, die auf spannende Weise aufeinander treffen. Es ist alles da, fast immer, aber es ist nur schwer zu erkennen.

Für mich ist es immer ein kleiner Triumph, wenn ich es erkenne und dann Leuten zeigen kann.

Die Projekte, die ich bisher gemacht habe, sind auf natürlichem Wege gewachsen. Gewöhnlich beginnen sie mit einer paar einzelnen Fotos, zwischen denen ich im Nachhinein Gemeinsamkeiten feststelle. Das bedeutet, dass ich oft meine alten Fotos durchsehe und versuche, herauszufinden, was mein Unterbewusstsein mir sagen wollte.

Es klingt ein bisschen albern, wenn ich sage, dass die Fotografie mir geholfen hat, rauszukommen und Leute zu treffen, aber es war definitiv so und das empfinde ich als bereichernd. So entstehen Möglichkeiten und diese Möglichkeiten erlauben das Erschaffen von mehr Bildern; der Prozess führt sich endlos fort und wiederholt sich.

Mein Kollektiv strange.rs hat gerade eine Ausstellung in einer Gallerie in Belgrad an den Start gebracht, die von Belgrade Raw kuratiert wird.

Es ist schon irgendwie magisch, wenn man sich in einer weit entfernten Stadt wiederfindet, in der man ein Fremder ist und trotzdem einige der Leute vor Ort durch deren Arbeiten kennt, aber noch nie jemanden dieser Menschen bisher getroffen hat.

Weiter habe ich im Eigenverlag zwei Bücher publiziert: „Pictures of People“ und „Till Human Voices Wake Us“.

Mir ist klar, dass die Bücher alles andere als gewinnbringend sind und die Kosten zu decken ist finanziell gesehen das Beste, auf was ich hoffen kann.

Jedoch war es eine großartige Erfahrung, auf die ich aufbauen kann und die neue Türen eröffnet, wenn man dafür offen ist.

Es ist alles da, fast immer, es ist nur schwer zu erkennen.

Dieser Artikel wurde von Martin Gommel für Euch aus dem Englischen ins Deutsche übersetzt.

kwerfeldein – Fotografie Magazin

October 9, 2013
Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) as a Photoshop Filter

One feature that is new to Photoshop CC is the Camera Raw filter. Using this filter you can make powerful nondestructive edits inside Photoshop.

What the Camera Raw Filter offers

The Camera Raw filter is new to the Creative Cloud version of Photoshop – Photoshop CC – so it’s not available in earlier Photoshop versions. It gives you access to most (but not all) of the features of Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) from inside Photoshop.

You can use it on any image – even those file formats that ACR doesn’t support – and on any layer. So, you don’t have to be working on an image that is in one of the formats that ACR can open. You can also use the Camera Raw filter at any point in your workflow not just when you first open an image.

Combining the Camera Raw filter with Smart Objects also means that you can make an edit using the filter and come back anytime to revisit and change those edits, if desired.

How the Camera Raw Filter works

To see how the Camera Raw filter works open any image in Photoshop CC.

So that you can revisit and edit the changes made by the filter, start by converting the layer that you want the filter to act on into a smart object. To do this either right click the layer and choose Convert to Smart Object or choose Filter > Convert for Smart Filters.

Either way the result is the same and you will have a layer converted to a Smart Object. Using Smart Objects ensures that the adjustments that you are about to make can be edited later on.

If you have multiple layers that you want to apply the filter to, then select those layers in the Layers palette before converting them all to the one Smart Object.

To apply the Adobe Camera Raw filter choose Filter > Camera Raw Filter. This opens the current layer inside ACR.

Now you can make your adjustments to the image using any of the tools in ACR.

So you can, for example, adjust the white balance by clicking on the White Balance tool and click on something in the image which should be neutral gray. This is a fix that isn’t as easy to make in Photoshop itself. Other useful adjustments you can make include adjusting Highlights, Shadows, Whites and Blacks and Clarity – settings which are easy to access in ACR and less easy (or not available in the case of Clarity) in Photoshop.

The ACR filters are also available so you can use the Gradient Filter and the new Radial Filter to adjust the image. Once you have made your changes click Ok to apply the changes to the image and return to Photoshop.

Notice that the Smart Object layer in Photoshop has its own layer mask so you can, if desired, use the layer mask to adjust the effects that you just applied to the image. Paint with black on the mask to remove them and with white to reapply them. This feature is useful for adjusting the effect of a Gradient Filter where there are objects which fall inside the area affected by the filter that you don’t want to be affected by it.

You can also alter the Camera Raw Filter settings at any time by double clicking on the Camera Raw Filter entry in the layers palette. This reopens the layer in ACR so you can make changes to the settings.

The benefits of using the Camera Raw filter

The Camera Raw filter offers some real benefits to Photoshop users. One is that you can use the filter to sharpen an image and take advantage of the Masking slider when sharpening in ACR. This lets you limit the areas of the image which are sharpened to just the edges in the image and not areas of flat color.

You also get access to tools which aren’t available in Photoshop such as Clarity, and the Graduated Filter, Adjustment Brush and Radial Filter.

The Camera Raw Filter also provides a handy way to work with a JPG image in ACR. You can, of course, open a JPG in ACR but, if you forget to do so, the Camera Raw Filter offers pretty much the same functionality at any time in your workflow.

Other options that the Camera Raw Filter provides is access to the Split Toning effect sliders, presets, the new upright correction, post crop vignette, the new chromatic aberration and defringe tools, and the noise reduction sliders.

Provided that you save your image in a layered file format such as PSD then you’ll be able to come back at any time and edit the Camera Raw Filter adjustment that you made.

Chances are that if you are familiar with using ACR for processing your raw images you’ll find that the new Camera Raw Filter in Photoshop CC is a welcome addition to your workflow.

Post originally from: Digital Photography Tips.

Check out our more Photography Tips at Photography Tips for Beginners, Portrait Photography Tips and Wedding Photography Tips.

Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) as a Photoshop Filter

The post Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) as a Photoshop Filter by Helen Bradley appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School

October 9, 2013
Converted Clock Tower: Ultimate Urban Loft with a View

[ By Steph in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

At the top of a former cardboard box factory built in 1915, within a clock tower overlooking Brooklyn and Manhattan, is one of New York City’s most remarkable residences. The pinnacle of the Clocktower Building is a three-story penthouse measuring over 6,800 feet, with four 14-foot glass clocks – one on every wall of the top floor.

The clocks offer massive, unparalleled views of the city in all directions. Additional windows provide a look at the Manhattan Bridge to the Statue of Liberty from a soaking tub. Or, simply go on the sky roof cabana and enjoy it in the open air.

Transformed from its industrial past, the penthouse features a ceiling that extends from 16 to 50 feet in height, as well as a glass-enclosed, three-story elevator running up the center of the space. It entered the market in 2009 for $ 25 million – the most expensive apartment on record in Brooklyn by far – and has now been lowered to $ 18 million.

For a while, as it went unsold, the clock tower penthouse was put up for rent for a mere $ 50,000 per month. It’s also been offered up for various special events while it sits on the market, including a dinner for Esquire Magazine.

[ By Steph in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

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WebUrbanist

October 9, 2013